Large number of pregnant women die in Pakistan due to poverty: Neelam

LAHORE – As many as 15,000 women die in Pakistan during pregnancy because of poverty and absence of basic healthcare facilities. This was stated by Minister Population Welfare Punjab, Neelam Jabbar Chaudhry, while talking to delegations of women party workers here on Sunday.

She said that a new programme has been launched to establish community midwifery homes at the far-flung areas of the province to provide basic healthcare facilities to child and mother.

She said that a major reason of death of pregnant women is illiteracy and lack of information because most women fall victim to complication and 30 percent women fall victim to complications just because of non-availability of standardised healthy atmosphere, whereas, poverty is the main killer of these pregnant women.

She said that government is trying hard to overcome this issue regarding women health and collective efforts are also required to overcome the problem. She said that current situation related to mother and child health in developing countries is deteriorating because of illiteracy and lack of knowledge.

She said 129 Mobile Service Units would also be established for the provision of maternal and child healthcare in the province. She said that 116 reproductive health centres, 1483 welfare centers under the supervision of qualified doctors and expert staff were providing standardised medical facilities regarding population welfare as well as general ailment. She said that Lady Health workers Programme initiated by Benazir has helped to redefine the role of women.

Neelam Jabbar Chaudhry said that the programmes launched for the maternal and neonatal healthcare will ensure progress towards achieving the millennium development goals (MDGs) in maternal and infant health. The specific objectives of these programmes are to reduce the under five mortality rate to less than 65 per thousand live births by the year 2011, 45/1000 to reduce the new-born mortality rate to less than 40 per thousand live births target 40/1000, than 55 per thousand live births by the year 2011 target 140/10000 and to increase the proportion of deliveries attended by the skilled birth attendants at home or in health facilities to 90 percent by 2015.
Source: Dawn
Date:6/29/2009